Asthedegreeofinterestinmucosalimmunologycontinuesitsupswing,theSMIhasdecidedto initiateasecondsetofbiennialmeetingstobecalled?MucosalImmunologyCourseand Symposium?thatwillbeheldineven?numberedyears.Thesemeetingswillincludeafullday courseaimedmainlyattraineesprecedingthemainmeeting,whichwillbeorganizedasa symposiumemphasizingaprominentandactiveareafromwithinthebroadareaofmucosal immunology.ThefirstSMI?sponsoredMICSmeetingwillbeheldinTorontofromJuly26?30, 2016.Thecontentofthismeetingwillfocusontheeducationalthemeof?Microbiotaand MucosalImmunity:RulesofEngagementinHealthandDisease?.Thebreadthofresearchinto thenatureandfunctionofthecommensalmicrobiotahassurgedinrecentyears.Mostofthe humanmicrobiotaisresidentatoneofthemajormucosalsurfaces,includingthe gastrointestinaltract,theupperandlowerrespiratorytract,andthegenitourinarysystem.Thus thereisanaturalscientificinterfacebetweenstudiesofthemicrobiotaandstudiesofmucosal immunology.Scientificsessionswillpromoteexcellenceinresearchandeducationacrossmany areasofmucosalimmunologyandmicrobiotastudiesandwillfosterincreasedcommunication andscientificcollaborationamongimmunologistsandmicrobiotaresearchers. MICS2016,co?chairedbyDrs.IforWilliams,PhilSmith,DanaPhilpott,KenCroitoru,and GerardEberl,willdeliveranotherexcitingprogramofwideinteresttomucosalimmunologists. Themeetingincludes17keynoteandplenaryspeakerswhowillpresentnewinformationin areasrelatingtoinfluenceofthemicrobiotaonasthmaandallergies,secretoryIgAandthe mucosalmicrobiota,themicrobiotaandgutimmunesystemdevelopment,intestinalmicrobiota andinflammatoryboweldisease,mucosalimmunitytourogenitalmicrobiotaandtherapeutic modulationofthehumangutmicrobiota.Thesesessionswillbeenhancedbyanadditional20 invitedspeakerswhowillchairabstract?drivensessionsonantigenuptake,asthmaandatopic disease,bioinformaticsanalysisofmicrobiota,celiacdisease,dendriticcells,diet,nutritionand microbiota,effectorTcellsandcytokines,epithelialcellsininnateimmunity,fecalmicrobiota transplantation,foodallergy,gastricmicrobiota,genitourinarymicrobiota,HIV,IgAresponses tomicrobiota,inflammatoryboweldisease,innateimmuneresponses,innatelymphoidcells, intestinalmicrobiota,microbialecologyofmucosalsurfaces,monocytesandmacrophages, mucosalBcells,mucosalinfections,mucosaltolerance,mucosalvaccinesandprobiotics.The educationalcontentofMICS2016wasdevelopedbySMI'sInternationalPlanningCommittee, whichiscomprisedofleadersinthemucosalimmunologyfield.Asexperts,committee membersengagedindiscussionsinwhichtopicsareidentifiedanddevelopedintosessions. Committeemembersdrewfromtheirextensiveknowledge,andalsoconsultedmembership surveysandconductedafterpreviousSMImeetingstocreateaprogramthataddressestimely topicsinmucosalimmunologywithastrongemphasisoninteractionsbetweenthemucosal immunesystemandthemicrobiotaresidentatmucosalsurfaces.Inadditiontohighlightingthe bestscience,MICS2016willalsobeanincubatorfordevelopingscientistsandpractitioners aliketomeetwithoneanotheralongwithrepresentativesofrelevantbiotechnologyand pharmaceuticalindustry.Themeetingincludes3daysoforalabstractpresentationsand2 eveningpostersessionstogiveyounginvestigatorsthechangetohavetheirworkpresented andcritiqued.SMItakesaspecificinterestinthedevelopmentofyounginvestigatorsand providestravelawardstothemtosupplementtheircoststoattendthemeeting.